Mercedes-Benz GL-Class 2012 Owners Manual - Manual (Page 177)

the risk of losing control of the vehicle and
rolling over.
General information
Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more
gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics
of your vehicle and the gear shift operation
before driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R
off-road drive program (for vehicles without
Off-Road Pro engineering package)
(
Y page 206)
R
LOW RANGE off-road gear ( Y page 206)
R
off-road ABS ( Y page 69)
R
off-road 4ETS ( Y page 70)
R off-road ESP ® ( Y page 71)
R
hill start assist
R
differential locks ( Y page 208)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(
Y page 204)
Observe the following notes:
R
Stop your vehicle and, if necessary, select
the off-road drive program (
Y page 206) or
the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(
Y page 206) before driving off-road.
R
Select a vehicle level suitable for the off-
road terrain. Make sure there is always
sufficient ground clearance to prevent
damage to the vehicle.
R
Activate the differential locks.
R
Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(
Y page 272).
R
Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient.
Activate DSR (
Y page 204).
R Always keep the doors, tailgate, windows
and sliding sunroof closed while driving.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The
rougher, steeper or more ruts on the
terrain, the slower your speed should be.
R
Drive slowly and at an even speed through
the water. Ensure that a bow wave does not
form as you drive.
R
Drive with extreme care on unknown off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R
Look out for obstacles such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R
When fording, do not stop and do not
switch off the engine.
R On sand, drive quickly to overcome the
rolling resistance. Otherwise, the vehicle
could dig itself into the sand.
R
Do not jump with the vehicle as this will
interrupt the vehicle's propulsion.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
R
Do not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position
N.
Checklist before driving off-road
X Engine oil level: check the engine oil and
top it up if necessary.
The vehicle can only guarantee a smooth
supply of oil on steep stretches if there is a
sufficient level of engine oil.
! If the engine oil warning lamp lights up
while the vehicle is in motion, stop the
vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible.
Check the engine oil level. The engine oil
warning lamp warning must not be ignored.
Continuing the journey while the symbol is
displayed could lead to engine damage.
X Wheel-changing tool kit: check that the
jack is working and make sure you have the
Driving tips
175
Driving and parking
Z